U.S. Office of Personnel Management www.opm.gov - Recruiting, Retaining and Honoring a World-Class Workforce to Serve the American People

Welcome to our Green Portal. Here you'll find our activities in support of sustaining the planet.

As the largest employer in the United States (U.S.), the Federal government has a unique opportunity to influence our country's ecological and financial future. Here at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) we are excited to play a part in the worldwide sustainability movement. As the agency whose goal it is to recruit, retain, and honor a world-class workforce for the American people we believe honoring government employees and all Americans by helping ensure their communities are healthy is a great idea.

Read the Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans:
     2011 [1.4 MB]
     2010 [2.3 MB]

In accordance with President Obama's commitment to transparent government, OPM is excited to join other Federal agencies in the first public posting of the annual Environmental Scorecard conducted by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Scorecard is a rating of the agency's performance in several categories of environmental stewardship. Along with the already-posted Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan, the Scorecard provides the public with a measure of accountability to ensure that OPM is doing its part (and more) to reduce Federal impact on the environment. OPM is proud that this year, we have received the highest possible rating in all graded categories. OPM is doing more than ever to integrate sustainability into our agency culture and operations, and will continue to move toward being a truly sustainable organization.

OPM Executive Fleet

OPM Adaptation Policy

On June 3, 2011, OPM released its Climate Change Adaptation Policy Statement [749 KB]. This plan complies with the requirements outlined by the Council of Environmental Quality's Climate Change Adaptation Task Force earlier this year. Through adaptation planning, OPM will address climate change's impact to its operations and assets around the world.

While the scope, severity and pace of future climate change impacts are difficult to predict, potential climatic changes could have significant effect upon OPM's primary mission essential function; Providing critical human capital services to ensure the Federal Government has the necessary civilian workforce (2009 OPM Headquarters Continuity of Operations Plan). In particular, these climate change impacts could necessitate critical OPM decision-making on the operating status of the Federal government.

How will this policy be implemented?

OPM's adaptation policy will be an OPM-wide directive to integrate climate change adaptation planning and actions into OPM programs, policies, and operations. Furthermore, regional Federal Executive Boards will be encouraged to develop similar policies with their Federal, local, state, and private sector partners to propagate effective strategies at the local and regional levels regarding operating status decisions.

Adaptation planning complements mitigation efforts already being taken throughout the Federal government to reduce the impact of climate change. Through adaptation planning, OPM will achieve the following goals and objectives:

Goals:

1. Develop and publish an OPM-wide climate change adaptation plan by June 2012 [or earlier] and update it regularly.
2. Through climate change adaptation planning, contribute to the Federal Government's leadership role in sustainability and pursue a vision of a resilient, healthy, and prosperous nation in the face of a changing climate.

Objectives:

1. Identify how climate change is likely to impact our ability to achieve our mission-essential functions, operate our facilities, and meet our policy and program objectives.
2. Consider potential climate change impacts when engaging in long-term planning, setting priorities for making decisions affecting OPM resources, programs, policies, and operations.
3. Develop, prioritize, implement, and evaluate actions to moderate climate change risks and exploit any new opportunities that climate change may bring
4. Integrate climate change adaptation strategies into our programs and operations to remain effective and provide more efficient use of taxpayer resources
5. Establish strong partnerships with local, state, and regional entities to develop policies that enhance adaptability, minimize risk to Federal workers and property, and ensure adequate response to situations caused by the pronounced effects of climate change

What's Next?

In June of 2012, OPM will release its adaptation plan, which accomplishes the goals and objectives outlined above, as a component of its FY 2013 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan. With the release of its' Adaptation Policy statement, OPM continues to lead the way towards becoming a truly sustainable and adaptable organization.